Thursday, December 22, 2016

The Navy Name Game

In what was originally an effort to be more politically correct, the Navy announced their plans to eliminate their long-standing traditional titles back in September. They decided to instead refer to the sailors by their rank only, like “petty officer” or “chief,” to ensure titles were more gender-neutral.

Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson explained in a memo that modernizing the naval ranking was only meant to give sailors more flexibility in training and assignments. He went on to say that using a more uniform ranking would help civilians understand the system better and essentially make it easier for the sailors to get jobs after leaving the service.

But after months of angry feedback, Navy officials decided the job titles would remain as is, canceling their revamping plans.

“We have learned from you, and so effective immediately, all rating names are restored,” Richardson said in a memo released Wednesday.